Sperm Testing

The lack of quality of sperm is a common cause of infertility. Sperm testing will analyze the quantity and quality of sperm.

A spermogram is a male fertility test that checks the quantity and quality of your partner’s sperm. Your partner will be asked to go to a laboratory, clinic or hospital to provide his semen in a clean environment, and a clinical analysis will be performed on the quantity and quality of his sperm. Alternatively, some clinics may offer you the option of taking a sample at home.

Infertility is equally due to male and female factors. In the case of men, infertility is commonly due to a reduced volume of sperm production which results in a low sperm count, or low sperm motility which would be identified when a spermogram is carried out. In rare cases, infertility may be due to a complete lack of sperm production, also known as azoospermia (this only accounts for 2% to 3% of all cases of male infertility).

A spermogram enables your doctor to assess the following factors:

The concentration of the sperm: the number of sperm present in a certain volume of semen (this is usually represented as the number of million/per millilitre)

The motility of the sperm: how well the sperm move forward and how fast they progress

The shape of the sperm (morphology): the proportion of sperm that are well-formed. It is important to note that it is quite usual to detect misshapen sperm, even in the most fertile man!

The agglutination of the sperm (sticking together): high levels of agglutination would indicate the possible presence of anti-sperm antibodies in the seminal fluid.

If your partner has a low sperm count or low sperm motility, your chances of getting pregnant may be significantly reduced and in some cases IVF with ICSI (injecting a single sperm into the egg) may be the best option for you. If sperm is low, but natural conception is still possible for you, the timing and frequency of intercourse is the key to conceiving successfully.

In addition to this, and as we are in the business of tracking ovulation at home, there are relatively inexpensive kits and tests you can buy to test your sperm count and quality at home. One of these, called Trak, is a new device wich measures sperm count. Your partner adds a few drops of sample onto a test strip, he loads it into a centrifuge device which isolates and quantifies sperm cells. Then your levels are displayed by a M/ml guide on the testing strip. It costs

If you or your partner are worried about low sperm count or poor sperm quality have a doctor or fertility specialist take a look at any tests you might do.